How to Warp a Saami Rigid Heddle: warpreed

To put a warp onto a Beaivi Sami weaving loom is a fairly simple process. I use my warping board that is attached to the back of my loom to measure the warp – similar to preparing a warp for any other loom. While I am measuring the warp, I thread the Beaivi loom at the same time. I thread 2 warp ends through each slot of the Beaivi weaving reed as I am warping. I found that the drilled holes are too small to thread easily without using a needle for threading, so I will transfer the warp threads to the holes after I have measured the warp.

After I have threaded all the ground warp threads through the slots according to the drafting plan, I then thread the thicker pattern warp threads, also threading them through the slots.

I carefully remove the warp from the warping board, creating a warp chain as I am removing it – again similar to the warping process for the regular loom.

I don’t use a weaving frame, inkle loom or a box loom for this type of weaving. I find it simpler (and more portable) to tie one end of the warp to the back of a chair or onto one of the pegs of my warping board. The other end – that you weave from – can be tied to your waist, similar to weaving on a backstrap loom. Instead of tying the warp to my waist, I use a small art board and paperclip the other end to the edge of the art board. The art board then sits on my lap as I work, and I also have a suface that I can attach the weaving pattern to. I find this system to be much easier on my back than trying to adjust the warp tension with my waist.

When I first received my Beaivi loom, I found that some of the small drilled holes were a bit tight to fit a threading needle through. I loosened the holes by wiggling the end of the needle in the hole for a bit.

I place the warp chain and reed onto the art board and cut one end of the warp.
I now transfer one of the ground warp threads that are currently in the slots into the bottom row of holes. Using a large tapestry needle I then transfer one of the ground warp threads from each slot into the adjacent bottom hole. So that the ground warp threads are now threaded with 1 warp thread in a slot alternating with the next ground warp thread in the bottom hole. I tie a knot at the end of the warp to secure all the warp threads in place.
Using the threading needle, then I thread the thicker pattern threads into the correct top row of holes. And tie a knot at the end of these warp threads to secure them.

I then clip all of the warp ends to the edge of the art board using a large paperclip.
I tie the other warp end to a peg on my warping board and adjust the tension. And begin to weave.

I begin by weaving a few inches without picking up any of the pattern threads. I let these remain on top. I find that this makes it easier to get the correct tension for the tabby ground weave, before I start to weave the pattern into the design. The weft should be pulled quite tightly so that the tabby ground is sett quite closely resulting in a firm weave. This will allow the pattern warp to float above the ground weave.

WikipediaBeaivi (or Päivi in Finnish) is the Sami name for the Sun or Sun deity. In Sami myth, she travels with her daughter Beaivi-nieida through the sky in an enclosure covered by reindeer bones, bringing green plants back to the winter earth for the reindeer to eat. She was also called upon to restore the mental health of those who went insane because of the continual darkness of the long winter.

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